A new era of Los Angeles Lakers basketball is officially here, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some questions about the roster.
The vibes at Lakers media day on Monday were flowing. After an offseason overhaul, the Lakers, led by superstar point guard Luka Doncic firmly planted as the captain of the ship, aim to compete for a championship. While we will have to wait to find out what the Lakers are made of, what we could see happen soon is a trade to fortify the roster before the regular season tips off late next month.
Speculation surrounding the futures of Dalton Knecht and Jaden Hardy continues as the Lakers begin training camp. With the team still over the permitted roster limit, one of two things will happen before the Lakers take on the Warriors to start the new season: a trade or someone gets cut.
Knecht Not the Most Likely to Be Traded From Lakers?
In recent weeks, the chatter about Knecht’s potentially imminent exit has only grown louder. A 25-year-old former first round pick, Knecht is, by all accounts, coming off an awfully disappointing second season. The Lakers have explored trading Knecht over the last couple of months, according to reports, but seem to have found no takers. While that may be true, Tyler Tanner of the “As It Stands Lakers” podcast believes Knecht isn’t the most likely Laker to be traded.
“I think Jaden Hardy (is) the most likely player to be traded,” Tanner said. “I don’t think you need a report or anything like that to tell you. … And look, Jaden Hardy could go out in a trade with Dalton Knecht … chances are the Lakers aren’t going to trade Jaden Hardy straight up.”
Hardy, 24, was acquired in a trade that sent Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards in July. L.A.’s decision to do the deal was debated some given its already thin frontcourt depth. Hardy naturally stands out as a trade candidate because of the Lakers already-strong guard depth.
Why Knecht is On the Hook
Knecht expressed some confidence in his future during Lakers media day. But the bottom line may be that Knecht’s time in a L.A. is a ticking time bomb.
“The Lakers have until Oct. 31 — Halloween, spooky time — to make a decision on Dalton Knecht and whether or not they want him under contract next year at $6.4 million,” team reporter Trevor Lane said during an episode of the “Lakers Nation” podcast. “Last year, they went ahead and picked up the $4.2 million team-option. My assumption is that if they had to make a decision right now, they would not pick up the $6.4 million team-option on Dalton Knecht. He’s got between now and Halloween to change their mind. … I hope Dalton comes out and he is great (next season) and he turns it around. If he doesn’t, and the Lakers don’t pick up that team-option, he’s probably the clear candidate to get cut.”
The Lakers likely view waiving a player as a final resort. It would serve them much better to find a trade partner for Knecht or another player, particularly to do a deal that not only consolidates the roster but also brings back a center to help back up star big man Walker Kessler.
Lakers Expected to Trade New 40% 3-PT Sniper Despite Dalton Knecht’s Struggles